EFFECTS OF CAPTOPRIL ON SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY, LIPID AND CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM IN A MODEL OF OBESITY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION IN DOGS

Ten age-matched beagle dogs were kept on a high-fat diet and followed for 12 weeks. During this period the animals were divided into two groups (n=5), either with or without oral captopril treatment. Dogs were tested periodically for biochemical and clinical parameters, and at the end of the study animals were killed and thoracic aorta samples were obtained for histologic evaluation. From the third week, the captopril group presented significantly lower values of mean arterial pressure, plasma norepinephrine, and fasting glucose and cholesterol levels than those attained in the nontreated group. Furthermore, aorta samples from untreated animals showed profuse staining for fat content at the intima and adventitia layers, while this reaction was restricted to the outer layer in treated dogs. These data suggest that the beneficial effects of captopril therapy in this obesity-induced hypertension model could be based on blood pressure control, together with reduction of serum glucose, cholesterol, and sympathetic activity levels. In addition, captopril treatment could play a role in the retardation of the early stages of vascular atherogenetic lesion.